Needle beard forming mechanism



July 10, 1934. A. HOFMANN 1,965,592

NEEDLE BEARD FORMING MECHANISM Filed June 14, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR:

WM/WA MM ATTORNEYS.

July 10, 1934. A. HOFMANN NEEDLE BEARD FORMING MECHANISM Filed June 14, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 BY h ATTORNEY-5 July 10, 1934. A. HOFMANN NEEDLE BEARD FORMING MECHANISM Filed June 14, 1932 '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR:

BY I mqmil ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 10, 1934 NEEDLE BEARD FORMING MECHANISM Alfred Hermann, Palisade, N. J., assignor to Alfred Hofinann Needle Works, Inc., Union City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 14, 1932, Serial No. 617,104

3 Claims.

This invention is a needle beard forming mechanism; and pertains to the manufacture of knitting needles of the spring beard type such-as are used for the knitting of garments or other products. While the'principles of the present improvement may be applicable in various ways-to trimming to length, the forming or bending of the butt, the forming of the groove or noucat, the lateral flattening of the needle and the forming ,of the beard, which may be followed by finishing and then tempering operationsj the present invention constituting an improved mechanism for the step of forming the beard. As in said prior patent there may be a succession of stations for the various steps of procedure, and a carrier for the longitudinal advancing and transferring of each needlefrom station to station, together with a work holder or chuck at each station adapted to receive each needie, and shift or advance it transversely into the operating mechanism at that station, and retract or withdraw it after the operation thereof and restore it to the carrier.

The'general object of the present invention is to afford a needle beard forming mechanism of improved efiiciency as compared with that of said prior patent or other known mechanismsfor the same purpose. A particular object is to increase the accuracy and uniformity of operation and product and thereby to reduce materially the percentage of losses and defects in production so as to deliver a greater net output of perfect needles. The spring beard needle is a product of delicate construction and small dimension and in practical use has the duty of carrying outwith great uniformity the loop forming operations of a knitting machine. It is important that all of the numerous needles in each section of the machine or needle bank be perfect and identical in construction. 7 Each needle must be of accurate construction to take part in the intricate loop forming operations of the knitting machine. The beard, which is the most delicate part of the needle, must be of thecorrect shape and therecenter of the needle shank,'but will bear an exact and predetermined relation to the groove or noucat which underlies the point of the beard.

The subject is so diflicult that up to the present there has resulted a substantial percentage of loss due to defects more or less slight in the formation of such needles. With the present invention not only is the net output of perfect and marketable needles substantially increased. but the inspection operation is materially simplified and the inspection expense thereby minimized. The invention further reduces losses from defects in subsequent knitting operations and consequent complaints from the users of needles.

Other and further objects and advantagesof the present invention will be pointed out in the hereinafter following description ofv an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be understood to those conversant with the subject. To'the attainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel needle beard forming mechanism and the novel features of construction, operation and arrangement herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a partial top plan view of a needle making machine containing a needle beard forming mechanism embodying the present invention, this figure corresponding substantially with the right end of Fig. 3 of said prior Patent 1,696,484 but with the improved mechanism hereof embodied therein, the operating instruments, the mandrel and bender shown retracted or in initial position. Fig. 2 on a much larger scale and inpe'rspective shows the beard formingmechanism hereof detached from its actuating connections'and from the needle chuck, and with its parts in retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a right end elevation on a larger scale of the essential elements taking part in the forming action, other parts to the right thereof being 1 omitted for a clearer showing; the parts being we in their initial position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the movable parts shifted to their forming positions, and the bending'member indicated also in dotted lines in an intermediate position.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation on a smaller scale than Figs. 3 and 4 and broken away at several points to show interior construction, the parts in retracted position. a

Fig. 6, on the same scale as Figs. 3 and 4 and looking from the front, is a vertical section on the crooked line 66 of Fig. 4, with the parts in forming position.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken on the crooked line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view corresponding with Fig. 2 of the bending member and its mountings on which it is supported.

Fig. 9 is a similar perspective view of the man drel or core member and its movable mountings.

Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of certain fixed parts including the anvil or ledge member on which the needle is supported during forming and adjacent parts, shown substantially in their relative relation, as well as in relation to the mandrel member of Fig. 9'.

Fig. 11 shows in side elevation a conventional form of knitting needle at its stage of manufacture prior to the forming of the beard; Fig. 12 being a top view of the same, showing the noucat; Fig.13 being a side'elevation after the beard forming operation of the present invention; and Fig. 14 being atop plan view thereof showing the relation of the completed beard to the noucat.

The same reference numbers designate corre sponding parts in the several figures.

The result to be effected by this invention is illustrated by comparison of Figs. 13 and 14 with Figs. 11 and 12. The needle blank a has had several previous operations performed upon it. The shank b has had its rear end bent into a butt 0, its sides flattened, and a noucat (I produced near the unbent point e. During the beard forming the point e is presented to the mechanism hereof and is formed and bent into the beard f as in Figs. 13 and 14, the extreme point of the beard overhanging the groove or noucat, and there being enclosed between the beard and the shank a recess g to receive the yarnor other thread.

Referring next to Fig. 1 the machine may be formed with a longitudinally extending bed or table as in said patent, above which table are the several chucks and operating mechanisms including those pertaining to the present invention. The chuck 21 is slidable bodily rearwardly and forwardly, that is to the right and left in Fig. 1 so as to present the needle blank to the forming mechanism and retract it after the operation. The details of the chuck and its handling of the needle may be ascertained from said patent; it is sufficient herein to refer to the lever 22 by which the chuck jaws are closed and opened, the cam 23 for operating the lever '22 and the longitudinal bar 24 running the whole length of the machine, arranged to be reciprocated for the opening and closing of all the chucks, the means for sliding which toward and from the forming mechanism are not shown herein but are fully disclosed in said patent.

The beard forming mechanism, which is shown in its entirety in Figs. 1 and 2, is best explained in principle on Figs. 3-7. A fixed anvil, shelf or plate 25 receives the pointed end of each needle blank when thrust rearwardly or inwardly, the

anvil having its upper front portion 26 slightly bevelled or flared to facilitate the entrance of the needle. The anvil is formed at the upper end of a shank 27 which at its lower end is expanded into a square portion or foot 28, the entirety con sisting of thin sheet steel and being held in position by clamping pressure between left and right brackets 6'7 and 77 to be described, the relative arrangement being indicated in Fig. 10.

The mandrel or core 29 is in the nature of a steel strip having a cross section of substantially the same contour as the thread recess 9 beneath the needle beard, with such difference as is necessary to allow for elasticity when the bending pressure is removed from the beard. The mandrel bar is shown held by a screw clamp 30 to a sliding shank 31 by which the mandrel may be retracted longitudinally of itself and restored to active position. The mandrel strip may be elongated so that after a given section has become worn the clamp may be loosened and the strip advanced slightly to bring a new section into forming position. The shank 31 is formed with a groove to insure the positioning of the forward end of the mandrel, and to the rear thereof is shown in Fig. 9 a recess and shoulder arranged to insure proper alinement of the mandrel.

The bender or former 32 is in the nature of a thin blade sliding within a thin space between opposing cheek plates 65 and 66 to be described. The bender is shown separately in Fig. 8, it being attached by screws 33 in a groove formed' between ribs 34 at the right end of a shank 35 which may be integral with an annular flange 36 continued leftward as a sleeve or hollow rock shaft 37 to they left end of which may be attached a gear 38. This entire bender assemblage is adapted to be oscillated from normal or retracted position as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 8 to advanced or forming position as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. In normal position one of the ribs 34 constitutes a stop, coming against a fixed part of the machine. In advanced or forming position the rotation is stopped through an outstanding stop pin 39 projecting from the shank 35, this pin contacting with a fixed stop or screw 40, as seen in Fig. 6, the stop 40 being accurately adjustable so that the bender will come precisely to the advanced position in bending the needle beard.

Having thus referred generally to the anvil and the active elements the mandrel and bender taking part in the beard formation some of the general parts of the mechanism will be described. The entire mechanism is shown built up upon a base 43 resting on the machine bed 20. Upstanding from the base is a main post 44 which at its upper end is enlarged to constitute a bearing 45 for the rotation of the bender sleeve 37, and above such fixed bearing the metal is extended as a top bracket 46 upon which the stop screw 40 and certain other parts are mounted. At its right side the post 44 is extended at 47 for the mounting of the anvil and adjacent parts. At its left side the post has an extension 48 to receive a connection for actuating the mandrel.

The actuation of the mandrel and bender may be from one of the existing shafts of the machine, such as the longitudinal operating shaft 50 shown in Fig. 1. This shaft makes one complete turn with each cycle of actions and is formed with a cam 51 for operating the mandrel 29 and a cam 52 for operating the bender 32.

Referring to the mandrel operating connections, the sliding shank 31 of the. mandrel is shown as pivotally connected with the upper end of a rock arm 54, the lower end of which is secured to a rock shaft 55 mounted in the bracket 48 and a convenient rear bearing 58. Near its rear end the rock shaft 55 is provided with a cam arm 56 carrying a roller 57 engaging with the cam 51. By this arrangement the shaft 55 is rocked advancingly and retractingly so as to advance and retract the mandrel in each cycle.

The bender actuation may be effected through a toothed segment 59 mounted at the upper end of the top bracket 46 and with its teeth engaging the gear 38 at the left end of the rock sleeve 37. The segment 59 is formed with a radial slot 60 in which is adjustably connected a rod 61 having at its rear end a roller62 engaging with the cam 52 on the operating shaft, an arm 63 giving support to the connecting rod and roller. Adjustment of the rod 61 in the slot 60 determines the angular motion of the bender.

While the timing may be varied the cams 51 and 52 are preferably of such contour as to cooperate as follows with the remainder of the machine including the operation of the needle chuck 21. The parts are shown in their normal or retracted positions in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7. Preferably the mandrel is advanced rightward to its position immediately above the anvil before the needle comes into operative position. The chuck however may have started its rearward movement, so that as the needle enters the space between the anvil and mandrel the latter will have come to position. The needle comes to rest when its pointed end has been inserted beyond the mandrel for a distance equalling the length of the beard to be formed. Immediately the bender comes into play, being rotated around from its position as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 to its forming position as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. This swinging action of the bender is what effects the bending of the beard, the needle point being first bent upwardly and then around frontwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and finally down upon the mandrel, concluding with a forcible pressing action maintained for an appreciable period so that, while the needle end surrounds the mandrel, it is under pressure between the underlying anvil and the overlying bender, within a narrow bending space 64, and laterally is closely confined between a pair of opposed cheek plates and 66. This completes the operation. The bender is rotated back to retracted position while the mandrel is retracted leftward and the needle is then free to be withdrawn by its chuck.

The opposed cheek plates 65 and 66, enclosing between them the narrow bending space 64, are very important to the production of an accurate beard. The space 64 is only wide enough to accommodate the thin pointed end of the needle, with minute clearance. For example this part of the needle may be .009 inch thick, and the slot or space 64 may be .010 inch. In this same space operates the bender 32, which is of thin sheet steel fitting within the space with about the same clearance as the needle. Due to this arrangement the bending action is a positive one. As the needle point is swung around by the bender the point and the bender are confined closely by the cheek plates. The cheek plates are of hard steel and form the bearings for the movement of the bender. At no time can the needle point depart from the plane in which it is to be bent. As the bender subtends substantially a quadrant, as seen in Figs. 3, and 4, and moves through a half circle the opposed cheek plates are extended for three quarters of a circle, the frontwardly extending portion being shaped to conform with the upper side of the mandrel as the latter enters and traverses the space 64. At the completion of the bending the beard is surrounded and confined by the mandrel below, the bender above, and the cheeks 65 and 66 to the left and right, so

that all of these elements, together with the anvil beneath the needle, are characteristic of this improvement. 7

The left cheek plate 65 is shown supported on a fixed bracket 67, the unassembled relation being well shown in Fig. 10. The left bracket 67 is formed with a circular portion 68 against which the cheek 65 is secured, the bracket having a quadrant part 69 preferably slightly thinner than the cheek 65, so that the space adjacent to the quadrant 69 may be occupied by a portion of the anvil 25, permitting the anvil to be constructed of steel somewhat thicker than the bending space and thereby to underlie completely the needle.

The bracket 67 has an enlarged or square foot i 70 corresponding substantially with the anvil foot 28 and this bracket may be rigidly attached by screws '71 within a recess 72 formed at the right side of the post extension 47, this recess being formed between front and rear ribs and there being a fixed plate '73 attached therebeneath to receive certain adjusting screws to be referred to. The holes in the foot 70 through which the screws 71 extend may be slightly elongated vertically, as

indicated in Fig. 5, so as to permit a slight play in order to allow for exact vertical adjustment of the cheek plate and bracket before the tightening of the screws, thus permitting the mandrel slot '74 of the bracket to be brought into correct register with the mandrel. Screw holes '75 are shown by which the cheek plate 65 may be screw attached to its bracket, this permitting the cheek plate to be constructed of hard Wearing steel, and to be replaced if worn. Projecting rightwardly from the foot 70 of the left cheek bracket 1 are pins '76 by which the right cheek bracket may be correctly positioned thereon. V The right cheekbracket 77 is in part of symmetrically opposite construction to the bracket bracket 6'7. The right bracket is formed with a mandrel'receiving slot 86 in alinement with the similar slot '74. By these relative arrangements and the described attaching screws the anvil is firmly clamped and held between the opposed cheek brackets, thus rigidly fixing the relation of the anvil and the two cheeks, as well as the opposed slots through which the mandrel is received.

Among various convenient adjustments are the following. Beneath the middle part of the bracket foot mounted in the underneath plate 73 in such position that by turning the screw the bracket 67 and cheek plate 65 can be more or less lifted or dropped so as to aline them properly and locate the slot '74 in line with the mandrel. 90 fixes the adjustment whereupon the screws '71 may be tightened. In order to adjust vertically the anvil plate 25 there are shown a pair of opposite screws 92 below its front and rear corners.

When the screws 82 are loosened the screws 92 may I" -1 be turned to adjust the anvil to the exactly correct height with relation to the mandrel so that the needle point may pass beween them. As seen in Fig. 5 the lower inner corners of the bracket 4, feet 70 and are recessed to accommodate the '70 is shown a headed screw 89 A look nut' considered novel in several aspects;

screws 92. Another adjustment comprises a screw hole 94 to receive a screw within the quadrant part 79 of the right cheek bracket, this affording a supplemental adjustment to widen sli htly the bending space 64 in case either the needleor the bender tends to bend therein. The bending blade 32 may be adjusted on its shank 35 by a screw 41 operated before screws 33 are tightened.

i The operation has been indicated in explaining the timing of the core member and bending member. It is believed to be new with this invention to form a beard upon a needle by holding the needle shank and defining the thread recess by'a core while bending the needle point by an instrument of substantially'the'same thinness as the needle point until the needle point conforms to the;core and thread recess, and during such bending laterally confining the needle point and the bending instrument at both sides so as to restrict them positively to movement in the plane of the needle, thus insuring accurate forming and positioning of the beard with respect to the needle shank and noucat.- The illustrated mechanism is The opposite cheek members spaced minutely apart to form a thin working space with minimum clearance for the pointed end'of the needle and for the bending blade are important. By cheek members it is intended to refer to the cheek plates directly defining the thin groove or working space together with the respective brackets supporting them. The insertion of the core or mandrel laterally through an aperture in one of the cheek members, to traverse the working space, is of importance; and preferably the opposite cheek member is correspondingly apertured so that the core is rigidly held at both sides, slightly spaced from the ledge, anvil or support for the needle shank. The construction of the bending member in the form of a thin blade, substantially not thicker than the needle point to be bent, so that it can swingingly advance and retract in the thin working space,

is of importance. The combination is completed by the provision of a suitable support, ledge or anvil for the needle shank, and an advantageous structure is shown whereby this is a thin plate, but preferably thicker than the working space, and clamped between the two cheek members or the bracket portions thereof; although another form of support could be employed, such as an anvil or a strip moved laterally into the working space along with the entry of the core or mandrel,

the two being attached to thesame shank in predetermined relation and advanced into position through the cheek members, and both withdrawn after the beard has been formed.

As a matter of structure and connection the illustrated arrangement is an advantage wherein the bending blade is mounted on a hollow rock shaft standing at right angles to the bending point while the core oranvil is mounted on a sliding shank which extends through the interior of the rock shaft or sleeve, with timed means oscillating the hollow shaft and reciprocating the shank in coordination; although the arrangement mightbe reversed and the bending blade be mounted on a-central shank and the 'core on a sliding sleeve concentrically surrounding it.

' There has thus been described a needle beard forming mechanism embodying the principles and attaining'the advantages of the present invention. Since many matters of construction, operation and arrangement may. be variously modified without departing from the novel principles, it is not intended to limit the invention to such matters except to the extent set forth in the appended claims. I

What is claimed is: g

. 1. An automatic machine for forming beards upon knitting needles. comprising a mandrel shaped to define the space between needle shank and beard, and having connections to advance and retract it, and an anvil underlying the ad-. vanced mandrel for supporting the part or the needle shank between them, in combination with a bending blade of substantially the same thin ness as the needle fitted to swing edgewise inthe plane of the needle shank and beard and having connections for swinging it, timed means for actuating the mandrel and blade connections in coordination, and a pair of opposite cheek members spaced slightly apart to enclose between them a thin working space within which they closely confine and guide throughout the bending both the thin bending blade and the needle beard, said cheek members being of sufiicient extent to enclose and laterally confine between them the entire length or the beard throughout the bending thereof whereby the entire bendingmovement is confined positively to theplane of the needle shank and beard against lateral deflection.

2 .An automatic machine for forming beards upon knitting needles comprising a mandrel shaped to define the space between the needle shank and beard, and having a shank and connections to advance and retract it laterally of the length'of the needle, and an anvil underlying the advanced mandrel for supporting the part of the needle shank between them, in combinationwith a bending blade of substantially the same thinness as the needle fitted to swing in the plane of the needle shank and beard, apair of opposite cheek members spaced slightly apart to enclose between. them a thin working space withinwhich they closely confine during bending the bending blade and the needle beard, said cheek members being of sufficient extent to enclose and laterally confine between them substantially the entire length of the beard throughout the bending thereof whereby the entire bending movement is confined positively to the plane of the needle shank against lateral deflection, and a hollow rock shaft surrounding the shank of said mandrel and carrying said bending blade and having connections timed in coordination with said mandrel connections for swinging the blade to bend the needle heard about the mandrel."

3 An automatic machine for forming beards upon knitting needles comprising a mandrel shaped to define the space between the needle shank and beard, and having a shank extending laterally from'the needle position, and an anvil underlying the advanced mandrel for supportand having a hollow rockshaft for swinging it,

said shaft extending laterally from the needle position and accommodating. the mandrel shank within it, and a pair of opposite cheek members spaced slightly apart to enclose between them a thin working space within which they closely confine during bending the needle beard.

the bending blade and ALFRED HGFMANN=.- 

